Janet Banana laid to rest next to Canaan

Bongani Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter
Late former First Lady Mrs Janet Madade Banana was buried yesterday beside her husband, late president Reverend Canaan Banana, at the family homestead in Bembe, uMzinyathi in Matabeleland South.

It was her wish to be buried next to her husband. Rev Banana was Zimbabwe’s first president from 1980 to 1987.

Mrs Banana died last Thursday morning at Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo after suffering a stroke four weeks ago. She had been suffering from a kidney ailment for a long time.

Much of the former First Lady’s life was spent supporting her husband.

Her body was taken from the Doves Funeral parlour in Bulawayo and travelled some 60km on the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road. After a right turn towards uMzinyathi Primary School and travelling another 10km on a dust road, the body arrived at the Banana homestead.

The Banana homestead was a hive of activity as family members, church members and the community came together to console the Banana family.

When the hearse arrived some community members were inconsolable as they sobbed upon seeing her body arriving for its final resting place next to her husband who died nearly 18 years ago on November 10, 2003. The couple married in 1961.

The silver-grey coffin was taken to the family house veranda, where a brief service was held and then moved to outside the homestead, for the full-on service under a tent. The place was beautifully decorated with the predominantly white design capturing the purity of her soul, as Mrs Banana was described by speakers.

In a speech read by Ms Andile Ncube, a granddaughter of Mrs Banana, her son Mr Nathan Banana said although her death pained them, his mother left them with life lessons.

“It is hard to say goodbye and we wish we had more time and perhaps during the time we had spent it more together. We wish that so much of her life had not been spent as a result of her illness and things could have been better for her and for us. While we know that she is at peace and that her struggles are at an end, there is pain and sadness. Although she is gone, she has left her legacy of her love and perseverance; the ways she touched our lives will remain,” he said.

Mr Banana said his mother was a woman who loved spending time with her family.

“Her family and the roles as mother and grandmother were the most important thing to mom. This is where she drew her strength and left her legacy. Being with her family was what Janet enjoyed for most of her life. Although her life had struggles with devastating illness; yet through it all her love and caring for her family remained her focus. In many ways she was able to show that love to us. This perseverance through adversity is a powerful message for us. What a wonderful lesson she left for us,” said Mr Banana.

Speaking on behalf of the Banana family, Mr Alfred Banana thanked everyone for their love and care during the times that Mrs Banana was ill until her death.

Mrs Banana’s brother, Mr Alson John Mbuyazwe, thanked President Mnangagwa and Government for helping the family.

“I’d like to thank everyone, the community, the Government officials and families who came here for coming to console and support us during this time of grief.

“My sister, you have left us and we are on the same path. We shall meet again one day. You were a pillar to the family and the children of Zimbabwe. your works speak volumes as that is why people are gathered here,” said Mr Mbuyazwe.

“I would like to thank the Government especially, the President for helping my sister when she returned to Zimbabwe and she was not feeling well. They helped a lot. Even today when we are burying her, the Government helped. We would like to thank also the Banana family for keeping my sister.”

Mrs Banana’s niece, Bulawayo proportional representation Member of Parliament (MP) Priscilla Misihairabwi Mushonga said Mrs Banana should be remembered as the inaugural First Lady in Zimbabwe.

“I’m disappointed that when people are referring to Janet Banana, she is the wife of Canaan Banana. She is not just a widow of Canaan Banana, but she is the country’s first First Lady in post-independent Zimbabwe.

“There are many things that were promised and the President even told Government officials that she should get a house. I was tasked to look for it, went around doing so, submitted papers and nothing has happened. This means that there is sabotage, as a President of the country gave an instruction and then some Government official decided not to do it,” said Ms Misihairabwi-Mushonga.

Brigadier General (retired), Levi Mayihlome who is the Member of Parliament of Umzingwane constituency said he will make sure that the promises made will come into fruition.

“We all know that umama wasn’t feeling well when she returned to Zimbabwe some two years ago. Perhaps it was in God’s plan that she comes here and finds her resting place in Zimbabwe at her homestead next to her husband.

“We know that when she returned, she asked for a farm, a piece of land. We know that everything has been done the papers are in Gwanda and her request will not be forgotten because Mrs Banana and her husband showed us the way during the liberation struggle,” said Rtd Brig-Gen Mayihlome.

Matabeleland South provincial development coordinator Ms Lathiso Dlamini, who was representing Matabeleland South Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Abedinico Ncube, said Zimbabwe has lost a mother and pillar of strength.

“As Government, we mourn the death of our First Lady with the Banana and the Mbuyazwe families. The nation has lost yet another gallant daughter who stood by her husband during the liberation struggle for independence. She was a pillar of strength and source of inspiration as well as family cohesion as a mother and as the First Lady. We shouldn’t forget who we are burying. She is the former First Lady and first First Lady of this country, we recognise that,” said Ms Dlamini.

Members of the Methodist Church, which Mrs Banana attended in Luveve and during her stay in England, led proceedings. They sang songs from the Methodist Church hymnal and Bishop Isaac Mudenda spoke highly about the former First Lady saying she was an exemplary woman, who loved God and her family.

“I have heard the history of Mrs Banana and what was important was that she was a humble person. As you know her husband was a Reverend and it was befitting that she was his wife. Being a Reverend’s wife isn’t an easy thing, not only that she was the wife of a politician.

“I want to say that Mrs Banana had not only true love, she had pure love. She and the family had so many challenges, but as Mrs Banana, she was meek. She is the woman and wife that is referred to in the Bible book of Proverbs chapter 31 verse 10 and onwards,” said Bishop Mudenda.

He said the late president Banana was instrumental in his teachings as he inspired many generations in Binga, where Bishop Mudenda is from, to be preachers.

“There is a lot we learnt. What makes me happy is that ubaba uBanana when he was deployed at Timbe Circuit, living at a place called maCee, would travel using a scooter and come preach to our community in Siansundu where I come from. He would preach to our grandparents. I stand in front of you because of the late Mrs Banana and her husband,” said Bishop Mudenda.

“She wouldn’t go around beating her chest that she was the First Lady. She couldn’t do that. I heard a story that she was once refused entry into the State House. She didn’t make a fuss about it at all.” – Follow on Twitter @bonganinkunzi